The 2011 playoffs.

The format

How 2011 worked.

Eighteen clubs and, for the first time, ten qualifiers: the top three in each conference went straight to the conference semifinals while seeds 7–10 by overall points, regardless of conference, met in single-match wild-card games. The Supporters' Shield winner (LA) drew the lower-seeded wild-card survivor (New York) and Sporting Kansas City the higher (Colorado), so both crossovers landed in the other conference's bracket. Semifinals were two-legged aggregate series, conference finals single matches at the higher seed, and MLS Cup a single match at the predetermined Home Depot Center; ties went to extra time then penalties, with no away-goals rule.

• Field expanded from 8 to 10 clubs with a single-match wild-card round for seeds 7–10 by overall points.
• Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps joined (18 clubs); Kansas City Wizards became Sporting Kansas City.

1. 01Wild-card roundSingle matchOct 26 – Oct 27
2. 02Conference semifinalsTwo legs, aggregateOct 29 – Nov 3
3. 03Conference finalsSingle matchNov 6
4. 04MLS CupSingle matchNov 20

Seeding

Top three per conference automatic (E1–E3, W1–W3). Seeds 7–10 by overall points entered a wild-card round regardless of conference (7 v 10, 8 v 9): Dallas 52 pts, Colorado 49, Columbus 47, New York 46. The Supporters' Shield winner met the lower-seeded survivor; the other conference champion met the higher-seeded survivor.

Hosting

Wild-card matches hosted by the higher seed (7th and 8th overall); higher seed hosted the second leg of the semifinal and the single-match conference final; MLS Cup at a predetermined venue (Home Depot Center, Carson, California), which happened to be LA's home ground.

Ties

Aggregate goals over two legs with no away-goals rule; if level after the second leg, two 15-minute extra-time periods then penalty kicks. Single matches likewise went to extra time then penalties.